A Chunk of SciFi – 2.05 – Omnitech Portable Universal Scanner [Tool]
“But wait, there’s more, we’ll also throw in not one, but TWO, thats right TWO Omitechs Portable Universal Scanner. The handy tool that is adaptable for virtually any situation. Need to check for cracks in water pipes? Download the software you need, Working in deep space and found an anomalous artefact, get the Xeno-Archaeology module- All modules are free, yes Free for the first 10 days!…”
Commercial featuring OPUS
The Portable Universal Scanner from Omitechs engineering and software division is one of, if not THE most popular non-military tool in the galaxy. Versatile, adaptable and easy to configure. There are two parts to the OPUS. The first is the shell and interface. This is the part that is customised for each user or culture. Need one suitable for a human hand? Easily done. Need yet another that can be used by the tentacled limbs of the Kr’ual – not a problem!. The shell/interface ten connects to the true heart of the OPUS – The Sensor Cluster. This is what makes the OPUS so useful. Stories tell that during the first contact between humanity and the various other races in the galaxy, the predecessor of Omintech, Pallus Engineering, became obsessed with alien tech. They wanted to study everything they could. But they knew that the technology they desired soo much would not be given freely. So the precursor to the OPUS was developed. A way of scanning and mapping unknown technology.
The first tie is was used on a non-human vessel they were caught within a matter of seconds. Luckily, the aliens though that the device was interesting and the concept of a hand-held scanner had never occurred to them, as their ships contained multiple arrays of internal and external scanners, so they believed a handheld device was not needed. After brief and intense negotiation, a deal was struck between the two races. They would help to improve the device in return for being given access to it for their own species. This second prototype was a vast improvement over the first, but still lacked many features that the current OPUS has. This improved, yet still, limited, device was used on a third species as a test. They too, after the initial shock, became fascinated by the concept and wanted their own version. Their tech was integrated into the prototype. This third part of the blend is just what was needed to take the OPUS from clever tool to something incredible. It allowed the tool to remain handheld, yet also be, in theory, almost infinity configurable
In a matter of years, Pallus Engineering had grown from its small beginnings into a galactic wide corporation and rebranded into Omnitech. Each time a new species or culture was discovered they offered the OPUS design in return for a contribution to it. The concept of the subscription model for the software required was many held to be a genius idea. It allowed them to make the tool for much cheaper than it would be otherwise. Not everyone would need to be able to scan for Zarkoz gas or Phase Nodules. But if you did, then for a small fee, you could access the software required, and due to Omintechs clever security measures, this software could only be purchased from one company.
Omnitech despite being a powerful corporation is hailed as a perfect example of many species and cultures working together to make something better than each group could ever make on their own. The rumours abound that Omnitech has a bigger project planned which utilises the hybrid technology of their scanner. Friendly bets are being placed around the galaxy as to what it could be, with the current bookies favourite being a deep space starship.
